Hiring guide · Design
How to hire a
designer.
A general "designer" hire spans product, brand, web, and graphic. The right hire depends on what 60% of the work will be.
Comp range$110k-$220k base.
Timeline6-12 weeks.
When to hire
Hire in-house
Continuous design work and the role is at least 80% load-bearing.
When to outsource
Outsource to a studio
Episodic design needs. A studio is more efficient.
Evaluation · 02
Signs of strong candidates.
Strong signals
- Strong portfolio with shipped, real work
- Range across disciplines
- Engineering crossover
- Strong written communication
Red flags
- ✗Portfolio is unbuilt-only
- ✗Single-discipline only
- ✗No range
- ✗Junior priced senior
Interview · 03
Questions to ask.
- Q1
Walk me through your most complex project.
- Q2
How do you handle scope changes?
- Q3
How do you collaborate with engineering?
- Q4
When do you push back on a brief?
Considering a studio?
We bridge
to your hire.
We help with portfolio screens. If you're not ready to hire a designer yet, brief us — we can fill the gap and help you hire later.
Brief us